Narine is difficult to pick: Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that Sunil Narine is a difficult customer to read and added that he is well aware of the threat the mystery spinner could pose when they meet Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League final here on Sunday.

"With his action, it is difficult to catch him as to which side he is bowling whether it is the one that comes in to a right hander or it goes out," Dhoni said here on Saturday.

Narine has bamboozled batsmen with his trickery this season, and has been a key figure in KKR's march to the final of the tournament.

"The variation he has got and the consistency that he has got in maintaining line and length has been crucial. We have seen that consistency from a bowler has always paid dividends. Dhoni felt the West Indian has got all the traits to be a successful bowler in this form of the game.

"If you have both consistency and line and length and got the variations, the bowler will be successful more often than not in this format since the batsmen look to take you on. That is the time, such bowlers try and get their wickets."

The India captain, who is aiming for a hat-trick of titles with CSK, lauded Murali Vijay's match-winning ton against Delhi Daredevils, but said he needed to train himself in a way through which he can express himself more on field.

"I advised him to go to the nets and express himself and if you do not bat the way you have been we will not back you. He responded very well. He took the few sessions in right stride and got back to his usual rhythm.

"Vijay is a very talented cricketer. When he started for us, he did not do really well and in between we gave him rest for quite a few games. We told him that we want Murali Vijay to bat and we do not want any other batsmen to start for us.

"The kind of cricket he has been playing for us, he has been successful. He has got the right talent that is needed to be successful at this level. He was not himself and it was our main concern."